Clothesline prop



Feb. 16, 1954 H. A. WEIR CLOTHESLINE PROP Filed April '7, 1949 luz'eutar Ham /d A Weir Patented Feb. 16, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- 2,669,411 cto'rHEsLmE PROP Harold A. Weir, Youngstown, Ohio Application April 7, 1949, Serial No. 86,014 1 Claim. (01. 248 353) This invention relates to new and useful im provements and structural refinements in clothesline props, and more particularly, props embodying a bar provided with a line receiving seat and a strap pivoted to the bar and formed with a line keeper notch which is registrable with the seat, and the principal object of the invention is to automatically urge the strap to a predetermined position in relation to the bar so that the notch and the seat are in register and theprop is thereby prevented from becoming disengaged from the clothesline until the strap is purposely swung to an open position.

This object is achieved by the provision of resilient means for urging the strap to a predetermined position on the bar, and an important feature of the invention resides in thearrangement of the resilient means in such manner that it also performs a secondary function, namely, that of restricting the extent of movement of the strap when it is being opened.

Another feature of the invention involves the provision of a resilient line retaining member in the notch of the strap, whereby the invention is particularly well adapted for use in association with a wire clothesline.

Some of the advantages of the invention lie in its simplicity of construction, in its durability, and its adaptability to economical manufacture.

With the above more important objects and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention in its open position;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view thereof, but showing the invention in closed position;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially on the plane of the line 33 of Figure 2, and;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view, similar to that shown in Figure 1, but illustrating a modified embodiment of the invention.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the invention consists of a clothesline prop designated generally by the reference character II], the same embodying in its construction a rod or bar [2 which preferably terminates at one end thereof in a pointed, ground engaging extremity l4, while its remaining end portion is bifurcated so as to provide what may be referred to as a clothesline receiving slot or seat It.

A latch comprising a bar or strap It is pivoted intermediate the ends thereof by a suitable bolt, screw or pin 20 to the bifurcated end portion of the bar l2, and is provided in one end portion thereof with an inwardly extending clothesline keeper notch 22 which is in register with the seat is when the strap I8 is in longitudinal alignment with the bar 12.

It will be readily apparent from the foregoing that by simply swinging the strap Hi to one side of the bar 12 as indicated in Figure 1, a clothesline (not shown) may be inserted in the seat It, whereupon the strap l8 may be returned to its initial position in alignment with the bar l2 as shown in Figure 2, in which position the clothesline will be engaged by the notch 22 and the notch will coact with the seat It in defining a substantially circular opening from which the clothesline cannot be released until the strap I8 is again manipulated.

The essence of novelty in the invention resides in the provision of means for automatically urging the strap [8 to its closed, aligned position on the bar l2, so as to prevent accidental or unintentional disengagement of the prop from the clothesline. These means involve the provision of an elongated, resilient element, such as for example, a leaf spring 24, one end portion of which is firmly secured in a kerf or slit or slot 26 formed in the strap l8. If desired, suitable staples 28 may be employed for bridging the slot 26 so as to firmly retain the spring 24 therein by frictional contact, as will be clearly apparent.

A pair of longitudinally aligned and mutually spaced staples or loops 30, 32 are provided on the bar l2 and the spring 24 is longitudinally slidable in these loops when the strap I8 is swung on the pivot 20. That is to say, when the strap i8 is aligned with the bar l2, the spring 24 extends downwardly through the loops 30, 32, but when the strap is swung to one side of the bar as shown in Figure 1, the spring 24 slides upwardly in the loops and, at the same time, is subjected to lateral deflection so that, in turn, the inherent resiliency of the spring tends to return the same to its normal, straight position and thereby return the strap I 8 to its aligned position on the bar 12. The loop or staple 30, being closer to the strap l8 than the loop 32, may be somewhat wider than the loop 32, so that the spring 24, in its initial stages of movement from its normal position, may

shift laterally to some extent, before becoming deflected against its resiliency. This feature, in turn, will permit a substantially greater amount of lateral deflection of the spring and hence, greater closing power, than would be achieved if initial lateral shifting of the spring were not possible.

In any event, it is to be noted that the lower end portion of the spring 24 is angulated laterally so as to provide a hook or stop 3 4, this stop being engageable with the loop 32 as shown in Figure 1, so that excessive upward sliding of the spring is prevented and. the extent of opening of the strap I8 is effectively restricted.

The accompanying Figure 4 illustrates the invention as being particularly adapted for use with wire clotheslines, the construction of this embodiment being substantially the same as that of the embodiment already described, With exception that a resilient line retaining member 36 is provided in the notch 22 of the strap 18. The member 56 simply consists of an arcuate leaf spring which has one end portionthereof embedded in the strap it as at 38 while its remaining end portion is secured to the strap as at 49, an intermediate portion of the spring normally closing the entrance to the notch 22, substantially as shown. However, a clothesline may be inserted into the notch 22 by simply depressing or distorting the intermediate portion of the spring 36, after which the spring will effectively retain the line in the notch until the spring is again purposely distorted.

It is believed that the advantages and use of and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it, is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A clothesline prop comprising, a rod having a longitudinal slot in one end portion for the reception of a clothesline, a latch for releasably anchoring the clothesline in the slot, said latch including a bar pivotally mounted, at an intermediate point, on the rod and having a substantially lateral notch in one end portion for the reception of the clothesline, said bar further having a longitudinal kerf in its other end portion, a pair of spaced, relatively wide and narrow loops mounted on the rod adjacent said other end of the bar, a flat spring slidable through the loops and having one end portion engaged longitudinally in the kerf for yieldingly securing the latch in operative position, said spring further being movable lat-1 erally in the wide loop, staples in the bar bridging the kerf for securing the spring therein, and a hook on the other end of the spring engageable with the narrow loop for anchoring said spring therein for limited sliding movement.

HAROLD A. WEIR.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Kuendel May 25, 1948 

